Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Jan 7: Orissa’s losing streak continued in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 cricket tournament when they went down to Services by four wickets at the DRIEMS Cricket Ground in Tangi, Thursday. This was Orissa’s fourth consecutive loss in Group D and once more exposed their weakness in the shortest format of the game.
Put onto bat by Services captain Soumyaranjan Swain, the hosts scored 176 runs for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs. However, Services were equal to the task while chasing and scored 177 for the loss of six wickets with four balls to spare.
The highlight of the chase was a fine knock of 63 (39b, 8×4, 1×6) by NH Verma and his 101-run stand for the first wicket with AH Gupta (39, 33b, 3×4). But even then Orissa came back into the game and when Services needed 28 in the last three overs, it looked like that the game had swung in Orissa’s favour.
However, Biplab Samantray conceded 11 runs in the 18th over, Basant Mohanty nine in the 19th. Deepak Behera came on to the ball the last over and VS Hathwala hit two boundaries off the first two deliveries to ensure a win for the visitors.
Earlier when Orissa batted, the innings was propelled by Abhishek Yadav (52, 33b, 5×4, 3×6) and his 93-run partnership for the fourth wicket with skipper Govind Poddar (42 n o, 24b, 3×4, 3×6). The two carved the Services bowlers to all parts of the park to raise hopes of an Orissa win. But that was not to be. Biplab (35, 25b, 4×4, 1×6) and Abhilash Mallick (35, 32b, 4×4) also batted well.
Brief scores: Orissa 176 for 4 (Abhishek Yadav 52, Govind Poddar 42 n o) lost to Services 177 for 6 in 19.2 overs (NH Verma 63, Biplab Samantray 2/21) by four wickets.
